Motorcycle and Scooter appreciation

Revzilla took one to the Rockies with a Triumph. I think they did ok but were a bit useless off road, tyres are always the limiting factor though as they had quite close tread knobblies.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwtWRc5ikMs

Pretty much what @Jung says, think the GSXR 1000 K5 is generally accepted as the last 'analogue' sports bike. I'd have a think if you want inline 4 (generally Japanese) or V-twin (generally Italian) as they're very different flavours. If you do want to go Italian doesn't have to be too expensive either, late 90s/early 2000s Aprilias are all kinds of awesome.

Aprilias

Suprising that these have still stayed so low. A mates dad has some sort of ltd ed. Mille garaged and only used occasionally as a semi investment. It's done nothing.

The world has gone mad. CB500 sells for $16k on Bringatrailer.com

They were utterly fun. Really stable along the dirt roads I took it on. This was with slicks to boot.

@Haggis is say 750 or a 100. I’ve had a go on a couple of 600’s and you gotta wrong their neck to hustle. The 750 was sublime. Lots of torque and you can cruise the gears.
Comfortable too.

600’s and you gotta wrong their neck to hustle.

That's half of the fun. What's better than an inline 4 screaming at 12.5k revs?

What's better than an inline 4 screaming at 12.5k revs?

2 Stroke power band?

I'll have to take your word on that one

I vote 750 or Thou over 600s, they're way more practical. 600s are frustratingly gutless for anything other than full send.

A twin not needing to.

Nah, much more boring

Had to have an argument with Lind Motorrad this morning.

They had my bike in yesterday / overnight. Called me last night to say they'd found the issue; loose battery terminals. Hooray I guess. Had to wait overnight as it had a gearbox software update (!) as part of a global recall.

Called them this morning to check it was ok to pick up and they said the the run around this morning presented the same issues so they'd had another look (why they didn't do this yesterday, who knows) and had discovered the front ABS sensor had completely worn through. It was rubbing against the wheel. Non-warranty issue; £220 please and thanks. The guy said that whoever fitted the tyres installed the wheel incorrectly and this caused the problem.

No prizes reader for guessing who installed the tyres...

I said this on the phone and his last words were: "that changes the situation - we'll sort it out"

So I ride my loan bike 40 mins to Welwyn Garden City to collect the bike only to be presented with a £140 bill for labour to discover the issue as they'd found the loose battery terminals. Cheeky fuckers.

Anyway, I had an argument with them for 20 mins about how I would never have brought it in for an investigation into loose battery terminals if the ABS sensor hadn't have worn through and killed the electronics. He seemed not to understand so I said I was happy to pay the £140 if he refunded me the extortionate £176 charged for fitting the tyres at the last service.

Bill was zeroed and I left.

TLDR: Don't trust a BMW franchise dealer to know how to install wheels on BMW bikes properly.

Woah I'm impressed you were able to phone a main dealer and actually speak to someone. Good on you for kicking up a fuss, not many people would and that's what they count on.

Audi have had my car for 2.5 weeks and it looks like I'm going to have to drive over and get an update in person ffs. I once tried to buy a honda bike from honda swindon and it felt impossible so told them to leave it. Wtf is with main dealers and how do they make money.

Lesson is, find a good independent I guess.

i wouldn't say a 600 sports bike is gutless, the bike below could out accelerate pretty much anything on 4 wheels in the early 2000's, plenty of power there above 6-7,000 revs
there are some pretty quick cars today but a 600 would keep up with most things on the road today ..... under 100mph

it'd be nice to try out a 750 or 1000 but i'd happily take a 600 today if my old bones could deal with the riding position

you can pick up some 2000's cbr600's for haggis's budget
had one of these in 2002 and loved it, this would be a blast and it's been well looked after by the looks of it, perfect all rounder

https://www.motorcyclenews.com/bikes-for-sale/honda/cbr600f/100034228/

This thing is less than 3 years old (still under warranty) and has been in for two recalls and two warranty repairs. I love the bike but buying it outright at the end of my PCP in 2024 will be a big decision.

The main dealers are usually really helpful for BMW but this felt properly shady. It helped there was another customer next to me booking in their 72 plate for its first service. The louder I talked, the quicker it got resolved.

£176 to change two tyres! I mean if its a GS its easy, has a good jacking point for dealers and its a single sided swing arm, literally about as easy as it gets.
Did they also true the wheels, fit new TPS sensors, paint the chips, properly balance them with hidden weights, remove rotors and bolts, clean and reattach with new loctite? If no, then £100-120 over the odds, mad.

I know - I would usually tell them to do one. I have a guy (Chris @ London MPR) as he lives around the corner from me but he fucked his back up last year and couldn't do it. I left it right to the last minute to ask too, before I went on a trip, and already had a service for the bike booked in. I literally phoned them up the morning of the service to ask if they could do it.

Live and learn I guess.

I've been around the houses with the rear end set up on this now - I fitted and then removed smaller indicators, they just looked too dinky, modern and plastic.

I've embraced the 70s style and refitted the large originals, this time around, directly to the mudguard, removing the large brake light & numberplate bracket. I think it looks much cleaner.

I've also ordered a few bits:

• A small rectangular running/brake light that I'll fit just below the plate
  
• Clubman handlebars
  
  
  
  

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Looks like I should buy that CBR as it's located where I grew up haha!

Plenty to ponder, my back will probably give in after a few miles but at least I will give it a try.

If it’s in Fife then at least you know its only been used for four months in each year.

Sorry, I meant lacking midrange, rather than overall urge. 600s, especially the late models are bloody quick, it's just all the power is jammed up above 8k, which for me is very wearing for most road riding.

Does anyone know of any collectors / bike nuts - preferably in the south of England - that might have a Zündapp KS 750 or any other German ww2 era motorbike in their collection?

Thanks. All this talk of sports bikes, now I'm searching Ebay for a Triumph Daytona 675. I need another bike like I need a hole in the head.

@MCamb sorry I'm not much use. Car and Classic might be the best place?

Maybe
https://www.carandclassic.com/car/C1287354

There used to be a place out by Heathrow which sold the ural copies, can’t remember the name (joys of old age; poor memory and an interest in ww2 sidecars/ shonky russian motorbikes)

https://youtu.be/C-WtZ1VrAFM